New Lopi Answer- Questions

[jmb6420]

I think you have a moisture & lack of draft problem. I bought a little Lopi Republic 1250 to heat my 900ft shop with 12’ ceiling. R33 in ceiling and R19 walls, concrete floor. I knew it was undersized when I bought it but I just wanted the shop to be tolerable to work in during the winter months. It works well. It can be 25 outside and if I’m not careful it’ll run me out.

 

[Rose Lane]

I think you have a moisture & lack of draft problem. I bought a little Lopi Republic 1250 to heat my 900ft shop with 12’ ceiling. R33 in ceiling and R19 walls, concrete floor. I knew it was undersized when I bought it but I just wanted the shop to be tolerable to work in during the winter months. It works well. It can be 25 outside and if I’m not careful it’ll run me out.

Interesting- was it one of the post 2020 models? The Republic looks to be smaller than the Answer, and we have very similar insulation specs. From what I understand, stove manufacturers have had to tweak to accommodate the EPA standards and one of the accommodations seems to be lack of airflow in the stove.

How are people getting dry wood, other than waiting three years? What is the solution if one moves to a new location? 🤓

 

[stoveliker]

Sawdust bricks (no additives), pallets, construction scrap.

 

[stoveliker]

Can you use a kerosene heater for two or three years until your wood is dry?

 

[Rose Lane]

Can you use a kerosene heater for two or three years until your wood is dry?

No electricity in the space...is there a model you know of and like?

 

[jmb6420]

Interesting- was it one of the post 2020 models? The Republic looks to be smaller than the Answer, and we have very similar insulation specs. From what I understand, stove manufacturers have had to tweak to accommodate the EPA standards and one of the accommodations seems to be lack of airflow in the stove.

How are people getting dry wood, other than waiting three years? What is the solution if one moves to a new location? 🤓

The Republic was pre 2020 specs but I also have a Lopi Endeavor 2020 stove in my 1850 ft house. My heater hasn’t been on in two years. Endeavor keeps it warm.

 

[stoveliker]

No electricity in the space...is there a model you know of and like?

No electricity needed. I don't have one. I know people that do.
They can sometimes smell a bit, and the "exhaust" goes into your space rather than a chimney. But quite some folks use them as space heaters in homes. There area $150 ones.

Propane heaters may be cleaner for your air, though require a propane tank.

 

[ctyankee]

Do you mean like these? https://originalbiobricks.com/

I use them in my Morso stove and highly recommend. It's nice to have some twigs, kindling, newspaper or the like for initial burn. But they'll coal overnight and that will usually do it for morning start up. I usually cheat and throw a bit of newspaper in though.

 

[Trevor Tahclep]

I really believe too much is being attributed to the insulation of R30 in the roof and R20 walls, it is not all that bad overall. That stove can put out nearly 60,000 btu's therefore it is a very capable stove to heat 364 sq. ft., oversized really if it works properly it should chase the OP out of her building.
The OP claims they tried a top down fresh start fire and the fire died out, IMHO another indication that there is a air supply / draft problem occurring.
There is probably very little difference between that stove pre 2020 and post 2020 standards, a huge number of those smaller size stoves already met or were very close to the new 2020 standards.

Can't wait to see what happens with pressed logs. Dry pallet wood would be an alternative as well to firewood not fully seasoned.

 

[Rose Lane]

I really believe too much is being attributed to the insulation of R30 in the roof and R20 walls, it is not all that bad overall. That stove can put out nearly 60,000 btu's therefore it is a very capable stove to heat 364 sq. ft., oversized really if it works properly it should chase the OP out of her building.
The OP claims they tried a top down fresh start fire and the fire died out, IMHO another indication that there is a air supply / draft problem occurring.
There is probably very little difference between that stove pre 2020 and post 2020 standards, a huge number of those smaller size stoves already met or were very close to the new 2020 standards.

Can't wait to see what happens with pressed logs. Dry pallet wood would be an alternative as well to firewood not fully seasoned.

Thank you. Husband is buying pressed logs today!

 

[ctyankee]

Is he getting Biobrick brand? Other brands may disappoint. Locally we could not get Biobricks in 2020 and the local hrdwre store had complaints about a substitute brand. I don't recall the name. I was not thrilled with them.

 

[ctyankee]

I mean do husbands ever come back with the right thing?

 

[Rose Lane]

I mean do husbands ever come back with the right thing?

hahah. I left him to his own devices...so will let you know !

 

[stoveliker]

oh man, this thread is going in another direction now

Northern Idaho Energy logs are also good. Not sure they are available this Far East tho.

 

[Rose Lane]

Update: husband did not come back with pressed logs, so I did the cracked window experiment.

It is in Day 2 of the attached log.
Unfortunately, it didn't seem to make a difference. I was unable to get the area above 60 degrees today.

A note: The stove pipe does get above 300 degrees, but only for a short period of time after adding logs.

Additionally, I need to load the stove every hour to keep the temperature up or stable- at 2:30pm I was pulled away two hours. I left the woodstove full and cranking, but came back at 4:45pm to almost nothing left in the stove and dropping temperatures.

Is that normal?

 

[stoveliker]

No, it is not normal - if the stove is loaded properly. There is something seriously out of spec here.
Can you post a picture of how you load the stove after the initial start up? So we can see how much wood is in there?


300 degrees stove pipe is rather low.

 

[Trevor Tahclep]

Those are god awful results, I am assuming here that there is no damper in the stove itself and no key damper in the stove pipe that remain closed. If the stove pipe does not get much above 330 - 350 you are not inducing and getting sufficient draft to get that stove cooking, well not for very long anyways.
Can hubby pick up some real dry pallets somewhere and cut them up for you, industrial parks, furniture stores, commercial areas, lumber yards, farmers. You need to burn some very dry wood to try and get that chimney over 500 F and maintain it there for a good while for that stove to start cooking you out of the building.
In nearly one full hour (the initial start up hour) the stove pipe temp went up by only about 120°, definitely not normal.
Have you tried leaving your air supply opened all the way much much longer as well as the stove door to fan the fire even more, if you shut the air down too quickly the fire will slowly die so will your heat.

 

[stoveliker]

Not enough draft... But the stove is done in an hour and the flue was just tall enough, I thought.

I think it's a combination of issues. Number one being wet wood. Number two may be not loading the stove as intended. Numbers 3-5 I have not yet figured out the order. ..

 

[brenndatomu]

The stove pipe does get above 300 degrees, but only for a short period of time after adding logs.

I assume that's an internal temp (probe type thermometer) since you have doublewall stovepipe?

 

[Trevor Tahclep]

Not enough draft... But the stove is done in an hour and the flue was just tall enough, I thought.

I think it's a combination of issues. Number one being wet wood. Number two may be not loading the stove as intended. Numbers 3-5 I have not yet figured out the order. ..

Agree, the wood does initially seem to be problematic which is why burning dry pallet wood could confirm that.
Stove pipe does not stay hot very long as per her data. Makes me believe stove is either turned down too quickly or IMHO draft is too low.

 

[DBoon]

I have a Loop Answer from about 2008 and it burns very hot and very well with dry wood. I cannot imagine it not heating the space that is described. My chimney height is also on the low side and that doesn't slow the heat output down. Like any stove, you have to close the primary air slowly, and if you are closing it too fast it might stall the burn and limit your operating temperatures.

You are getting good advice from others. It sounds like your wood is too wet, quite frankly. Your chimney height doesn't look much shorter than mine.

 

[Trevor Tahclep]

It's about 16', double walled, 6" diameter.

Are you talking about single wall or double wall stove pipe connecting in to a Class A 6'' insulated chimney ?
If using double wall stove pipe are you also using a probe type thermometer or magnetic ?

 

[Rose Lane]

Thanks for all the answers.
I am using ETEKCITY Lasergrip 800 Infrared Thermometer.

I believe it is double walled stove pipe because it was installed by dealer last summer- I got the impression it's the only thing they are allowed to install these days. How do I confirm? Pictures of how the pipe/ chimney looks inside and outside the space.

We are going to the hardware store today and will get bio bricks or some facsimile. We have a bunch of pallets on site but they have all been outside for a few months- i.e. wet.

I leave the air supply to the stove wide open all day (both of the test days have it wide open.). The stove door is left open about 1/2" to 1" during startup, i.e. 30 minutes to 45 minutes while I am actively monitoring (which requires sitting doing nothing in a cold space wearing insulated overalls, gloves, down jacket, hat, etc.....rather uncomfortable! I can't work with gloves on!)

There is no damper on the flue/ at least not one I can see.

Next time I will post loading pics after startup. The firebox is small enough that it really only can fit 3-4 logs. That leaves about 1-2" between the top of the logs and the perforated cylindrical thing at the top of the firebox- it appears to be a reburn thing?

I have been thinking about the suggestion to cut down the logs to half length on a chop saw and load them N-S, which would allow more to fit in safely. As a long term solution it would be extremely time consuming- we have some ten cords of stacked wood on site, and I figure I need 1-2 cords a year to heat this space.....

 

[stoveliker]

Single wall 6" pipe has a circumference of 18.85". Double wall will be around 22" circumference.

An ir gun on double wall is useless.

30-45 minutes open is way, way too long. Once kindling is burning,.close the stove unless.it snuffs things out.

You may be blasting whatever heat you can get out of wettish wood out of the chimney in those 30-45 minutes.

 

[brenndatomu]

Looks like doublewall to me...and if it was singlewall that sticker wouldn't still be on there...